Our Approach to Patients

We evaluate the family history of anesthesia problems, bleeding, neuromuscular problems and other unique problems. We review medications and allergies as well as previous surgeries and anesthesia, chronic problems and state of control, including sleep disordered breathing, bleeding/bruising and acute illnesses.

No One is “Cleared”

Even completely healthy children who have a low risk procedure can have complications. We determine what their risk is (low, medium or high) and whether there is anything that needs to be done before procedure to lower or better understand that risk.

Pre-operative Screening

Preoperative screenings are provided by our general pediatric or adolescent medicine team (see contact information above).

The purpose of a preoperative evaluation is to provide a medical assessment of the level of risk associated with undergoing a procedure. Our specialists provide medical recommendations for things that should be done prior to a procedure to either better understand the risk (diagnostic testing) or lower the risk (therapy changes).

Sports Health

The sports physical is an annual rite for many students who have to get a check-up to participate in school athletics. It is also a great opportunity to track your child’s health and educate him or her on proper diet and fitness techniques. The purpose of the sports physical is to:

Identify medical or musculoskeletal conditions that might make participation in a particular sport unsafe

Screen for any previously undetected health problem

Assure that any previous injuries have been adequately rehabilitated so that the athlete is not at risk for further injury

Visits can also provide an opportunity to educate athletes and parents about injury prevention, conditioning, and training appropriate for level of physical maturity, as well as healthy nutritional approaches to sport participation.